


The First Date

by freezerjerky



Series: The Passage of Time [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: First Dates, First Time, Intercrural Sex, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 04:41:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8236447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freezerjerky/pseuds/freezerjerky
Summary: It's like they're both unsure of what the dinner really is, what it really means, and neither is going to be the first to ask.





	

The entire evening before the first date, if he can even call it that, Merlin feels like a cliché. He's tried on several of his more fitted t-shirts and he's called Gwaine upstairs to help him make sure he looks perfect. Once Gwaine's done with teasing Merlin, he dives into his closet and picks him out an outfit that hopefully will make him look like he's not trying too hard- a button-up that he's instructed to wear with the sleeves rolled half up and a pair of very, very fitted jeans.

According to Arthur, they're going for dinner at a pub. It's a nicer pub than the one he goes to to get drunk, and it's on the other side of the city. Gwaine keeps teasing Merlin that if Arthur's making him go so far for a date he must be planning for him to stay over, but Merlin's not having any of it. He's been Arthur's assistant and he knows the types of places Arthur takes his dates (usually women) and this isn't that sort of place, so he's skeptical that it's really a date at all.

When he arrives at the pub, Arthur's found them a table by the window and there's one feeble candle lit in the middle of the table. He looks remarkably well in a grey henley and some jeans that are designed to look worn. The pub's got the sort of old fashioned look that a lot of pub dining areas have; a few chandeliers, dark wood tables, paneling. It's got its own charm.

Dinner isn't necessarily awkward, but it just feels odd. It's like they're both unsure of what the dinner really is, what it really means, and neither is going to be the first to ask. Arthur asks for the check after they've sat with their desserts and drinks for a long while and he pays before Merlin gets the chance to even consider asking to split the total. It certainly feels like a date, Merlin thinks, but he doesn't want to ruin a potential friendship by assuming.  
  
After dinner, they take a walk in the direction of Merlin's bus stop. Arthur lives close by (Merlin knows this because part of his job was dropping off things at his flat) so they take their time. They sit on the bench at the bus stop, something hanging in the air. Merlin knows if he doesn't act now, this will have just been dinner and not a date.

"Listen Arthur, I-" he begins to speak but he's interrupted by the other man.

"I'd like to kiss you now, if that's alright with you."  
  
Well that certainly resolves the issue. "Yeah, yeah. It's very alright with me."Their first attempt at a kiss ends with a clash of noses, and then almost of teeth before they get it right. It's soft at first, but with intent. Merlin supposes, knowing the type of man Arthur is, this can be one thing or the other: he's either very not serious and they'll have a good shag hopefully before he breaks Merlin's heart or he's very serious about this and they'll have lots of good shags and it's either going to end in a relationship or a very, very broken heart. Either way, it's a risk that he's decided he's going to take. Arthur pulls away when a bus arrives, but Merlin pulls him close again.  
  
"Not my bus." It certainly is his bus, but he'll say he didn't realize.

They continue snogging on the bench for probably more than is strictly appropriate before Arthur catches on. "That was your bus, Merlin. Because there's two buses that come to this stop and both have come by since we've sat here."

"And?"

"I can't send you home on a night bus in good faith, and we're getting very close to night bus time."  
  
"I'm a grown man who takes the night bus often enough."  
  
"I've got a perfectly good couch and an almost childlike assortment of breakfast cereals."  
  
"A couch? You're not going to try to seduce me?" he jokes, feeling bold in that moment.  
  
"I don't want you to assume I won't let you stay at mine if you don't sleep with me," Arthur says softly. "I'm not like that, and besides, this is only the first date just...we're friends too, right?"  
  
Merlin's got to think carefully of his answer, because he values the fact that Arthur considers him a friend, but if Arthur's romantically or sexually interested in him, he wants to pursue that.  
  
"Yeah, we are, but I wouldn't be opposed to go back to your flat for...one more drink or some time on your couch or wherever else you're offering to let me sleep."  
  
Arthur doesn't say anything in response to that, but he offers Merlin his hand and they walk the two blocks back to Arthur's flat. This is the first time Merlin's been invited inside of the flat properly. He can see himself spending time there, with Arthur's sleek but traditional furniture and his two half dead houseplants that some clients had sent him. Arthur offers him something to drink and he answers that water is fine and then they end up snogging on the couch instead of even entertaining the idea that Merlin actually wanted that glass of water.  
  
Once everything's properly heated, Arthur's rather eagerly climbing on top of him which leads to an errant foot knocking down the glass and the sound of not so cheap crystal shattering on wood floors.  
  
"Shit, shit." Arthur pulls away from him. "Sorry, didn't mean to do that."  
  
"Really?" Merlin laughs. "I'm so surprised that was an accident." He catches Arthur by his jaw and moves back in for a kiss.  
  
"Honestly, that attitude of yours," Arthur tuts.  
  
"Are you going to clean it up or not?"  
  
"I'll wait until Mordred comes by next."  
  
Merlin's about to say something that's very exasperated and reprimand Arthur but instead he reaches down to squeeze his bum. "Tomorrow morning, I'm going to teach you how to treat your assistant. Tonight, let's move it to the bedroom."  
  
On the way to the bedroom, they only manage to topple one lamp which Merlin leaves leaning against the couch and Arthur, going along with the jest, leaves Merlin's shirt hanging across it. It's almost an awkward result, by the time they're to the bedroom, Arthur's wearing just an undershirt and pants and Merlin's just got his two undignified socks with a cat print on. Merlin unfortunately misses the grand unveiling in the process of removing said socks, but he is pleased to find that Arthur's just as fit as he remembers from the few accidental glimpses he's gotten of him.  
  
"Is this acceptable?" Arthur asks, holding out his arms. He's joking, but there's a hint of insecurity in his voice.  
  
"Acceptable? That's about the understatement of the century, there's really no reason to be so humble about anything. Really, being humble is very out of character for you."  
  
Arthur moves onto the bed and pats the space next to him, which is cue enough for Merlin to follow. They end up snogging for a good while, both running their hands down the others arms, torso, whatever bit they can reach. It's Arthur that takes Merlin's cock in hand first, stroking firmly and getting used to the particular weight of him in his hand.  
  
"Roll over," Arthur orders gently, which Merlin does (not before shooting him a questioning look). They're now more or less spooning, Arthur moving close behind him. "Between the thighs?"  
  
"Oh!" Merlin answers. "Yes, that's...yeah, please."  
  
Merlin thinks briefly that Arthur's moved away for some reason, but then he realizes that Arthur's reaching into the bedside drawer. He's handed a condom not a moment later. He's grateful that Arthur remembered safety in a moment like this. They both take the moment to prepare and are no worse the wear or less aroused for it. The next sound Merlin hears is the tell tale sign of the lube opening, and then there's fingers teasing along his upper thighs.  
  
In a show of eagerness, he rocks back. Before long he's rewarded with the feeling of Arthur sliding between his thighs. Once Arthur's certain he's in the correct position, he starts to move and moments later his hand is on Merlin's cock again, stroking him in time with his thrusts.  
  
What pushes him closer to the edge, though, is Arthur leaning forward, just enough to nip along the shell of his ear. He teases and sucks the earlobe into his mouth before kissing down his neck, then back up. Arthur's half forgotten about his own pleasure, keeping his thrusts languid as he continues to stroke and kiss and suck. It's been a long while since he's slept with someone and wanted their pleasure more than his own, which was perhaps selfish of him, but it was true. He's very pleased with the sound of skin on skin, and the breathy sounds coming from Merlin's lips.  
  
"Close," Merlin exhales, rocking back.  
  
That's when Arthur starts to move in earnest again, stroking him all the harder. It's when his teeth graze ever so lightly against Merlin's neck that Merlin comes. It's a few awkward thrusts after, once Merlin's come and starting to feel boneless that he hits his own release and slumps onto his back with little grace.  
  
The silence that follows is strangely awkward, it's one of those moments that could make or break a relationship. What if one of them hadn't enjoyed themselves? Merlin leans up on his elbow, then turns to Arthur.  
  
"Just so we're clear," he states. "I only shag people on the first date when the sex is that good."  
  
Arthur chuckles, then sits up, rolling off the condom, then tying it off. "I would say you have no way of knowing it would be good but...me."  
  
"I can still go to sleep on the couch, you know."  
  
"If that's really what you prefer, be my guest. But I'd wager in about...half an hour I'll be ready to go again and I will take care of myself."  
  
"That's fine, I'll just-"  
  
"Not on my couch, you won't."  
  
"Then bed it is."


End file.
